Originally Posted by
Mike Mills
This is a different perspective on, a variation on, an argument posed earlier. To some extent it is a new argument in that it combines the price issue with the durability/flatting argument in a way not presented earlier.
It is akin to the Cold War era perspective of a famous Russian (I've forgotten who it was) who, in response to the difference between the fewer but higher quality, higher technology Western tanks, said, "Quantity has a quality all its own."
It is a good argument, as long as you do not have to carry three spares with you and are not constantly changing tires while trying to go for a ride.
I agree with this argument, even though I didn't make it explicitly. Underlying it is the question of the basic utility of the low cost tire. Ten YJs are not worth a FMB silk if there is a lot of glass on the road and you can expect to flat on every ride. But if you can expect a tire to take you out and get you home, it can make sense.
The pro-Rallye argument depends on this basic reliability. I have seen it, and of course others have not. I dunno.